


Show me your face behind that mask

by Yamiyoru



Series: Simple Bliss [3]
Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-01 08:37:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4012993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamiyoru/pseuds/Yamiyoru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been too long. Let's stop hiding and show ourselves. Tell me what I need to know. Tell me what I want to hear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Show me your face behind that mask

**Author's Note:**

> I think I have tortured the two souls too much for a while so it's more fluffy this time, people. A little bit of angst makes the world goes round.
> 
> Let me know what you think of this story. I really like the idea of Yosuke being a musician. I think he will make a great artist if he tries. I mean look at that face, that fashion sense, PR skills, humble personality and everything that's Yosuke but he's just stuck in the wrong place and to Junes. This boy is very lacking when it comes to confidence in the game that I just wish Souji can whisper to him every day that he's more than he thinks.

**Show me your face behind that mask**

Souji has been well known in the industry by everyone as and nicely put, stoic. Yosuke calls it 'Dead Fish Face' and pokes at his cheek whenever Souji wears it. Getting him to show anything more than a small smile or a slight nod requires tremendous effort. 

However, Yosuke tears through that easier than punching through a tofu wall. He had glared at Ebihara, wailed like a new born baby, pulled at Kanji and many other intense reactions that he let slipped. A new addition would be the shock he felt when Yosuke, who had not shown any movement for the past 2 years, his eyelids started fluttering and opened, staring past him. It quickly shifted into panic as the eyelids began to droop and close shut. That day, Souji had lost his ability to keep cool, pressing on the nurse call repeatedly while yelling for someone to come. 

***

The process of Yosuke waking up from the coma is painstakingly slow and it eats away Souji's patience, replacing it with anxiety. Yosuke will open and terrorize Souji with his eyes for a while each day as they don't focus on him. Souji has heard of the vegetative state from Margaret and he's worried that this is the case since Yosuke doesn't respond to his persistent calling. The turning point was when Yosuke suddenly sprung up from the bed in the second week with his hands flailing, pulling the tubes, choking on a quiet 'Souji' before collapsing back down like it never happened. 

_He said my name. He remembers me._

His hands were on Yosuke's face as his tear drops caresses Yosuke's cheeks. 

He was sure Margaret would have murdered him and thought he pulled the tubes out for a double suicide because his mind isn't working properly for the past few days. Thankfully, Margaret’s benevolent that day or too tired from the trauma seeing Souji’s mascara running down his cheeks when she stepped in. She made a mental note to inform the management that visitors are not allowed to wear mascara straight from work. Hearing that Yosuke almost pulled the tubes out, Margaret gave Souji special permission to watch Yosuke overnight in case the same happens. It dampened Souji’s hopes when Yosuke didn’t show any more signs of movement as the night breaks into dawn. 

Souji was reluctant to leave but he has to. He has promised everyone he will take care of himself as it’ll hurt Yosuke if he doesn’t. Although Naoto wouldn’t agree he’s taking care of himself since Souji showed up at the music show recording in smudged make up. He had totally forgotten about it. Everyone played it down to Souji taking a new image as izaRaiya. Naoto simply sent a message to Elizabeth.

Nao chan: WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS MAKE UP?!! THAT’S HIS NEW IMAGE?!!

Eliza: ???? 

It was almost 8pm when he finally made it back to the hospital. Fortunately, the recording went smoothly but the song selection with Theo later on for their new single didn’t. Theo couldn’t make up his mind from Yosuke’s abundant list and would go on forever about what he thinks Yosuke’s portraying in each song. It has come to a frustrating point, in which Souji had risen from the chair with a black aura emitting from him and staring down at Theo. Theo immediately wrapped up the discussion to a later date. 

Letting out an exhausted sigh, he set his bag down on the chair and kneeled to check the urine drainage bag. It’s pretty much empty and Souji stood up satisfied that it will last the night. As he straightens his back, Yosuke’s eyes have open again. Not letting it bothers him, Souji bend over Yosuke to start his daily massage. As he reaches for Yosuke’s right arm, Yosuke tilts his head, eyes following Souji’s movement and back to Souji’s widening eyes. Yosuke lets his gaze lingers on Souji’s face for a while before dropping it back to Souji’s hands that’s resting above his right arm in mid-air. Souji watches Yosuke as he tries to lift his right arm to grab onto Souji’s wrist. When he felt the warmth of Yosuke’s fingers brushes over his cold palm and encloses over, he pounces on Yosuke and wraps him in a tight hug. 

_If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up._

‘Yosuke.…Yosuke……….Yosuke..Yosuke..Yos-...ke-…’

‘So.u..jii, don’-t…cry-…’

‘No….….I’m gonna..cry…all I wan…’

_It’s tears of joy._

***

Everyone in Fuurai had charged down right after they heard the news. The moment they stepped in, Rize has thrown herself onto Yosuke like Souji did and latched on like a eagle. Usually, Souji will show a disapproving face if any girl, not excluding fan girl, rubs their boobs against Yosuke this way but he will let it go for _now_. Chie and Kanji both were shouting angrily at Yosuke for making them worried while he just laughed weakly. Yukiko simply stood at the side, staring at the daffodil and then turning to Souji with a knowing expression and a slight upturned lips. The most surprising visit was President Igor, who only appears before promising artists, came down personally with his best wishes.

It took another week for Yosuke to fully wake from the coma. Over the course, the hospital room was constantly flooded with visitors. They chatted noisily like they never disbanded but no one had the heart to fill in Yosuke that it has been 2 years since the accident and the band is no longer. They are unsure how Yosuke will take it as they all know Yosuke is way more delicate and sensitive than he allows people to see. Margaret has warned them that the longer they drag it, the harder it will become for everyone. They know. He knows. 

_But he's finally back with us. I don't want anything to go wrong. There's so much I need to tell him. I don't know where to start._

***

Souji stepped into the room the next day, expecting Yosuke to be asleep, mind heavy from the medication. Instead, he found Yosuke sitting up with the bed inclined, head down reading the lyrics of their newly released single and his headphones up listening to his MP3 player. Beside him on the cabinet sat a stack of newspapers. Hearing Souji entered, Yosuke pulls the headphones off and greets Souji. 

'Hello, Izaraiya,' Yosuke says as he gestures the lyrics booklet at Souji. 

_He knows. Someone told him. Probably Margaret._

Taking a second glance at the neatly folded newspapers, Souji gathers his courage to deliver the news that Margaret encouraged they all do and this will be his last chance to say what he always needed to. He has a feeling that this is it but he still needs to be careful.

'No. I'm Iza. You're Raiya. izaRaiya is our new band. 「Unheard」is our song. I rewrote it from the song ' 'There's so much I want to say to you' that you wrote. I listen to it every day thinking you wrote it for me. At least I wish and think you did. The line 'There's so much I want to tell you.' ......I'm...... ' 

Souji pauses as all the emotions he had submerged for a long time threatens to push to the surface. 

_No. No. Seta Souji, you're screwing up again._

The Yosuke he knew would have broken the silence by saying something stupid to relieve the tension, to save him from the awkwardness of having to answer, simply sat there. Yosuke looks at Souji with pleading eyes as he searches for more in Souji's wavering gaze, which told him everything he needs to know. 

_I'm lost without you._

He knows they were all hiding something. He remembered his hair being only shoulder length just yesterday, can now compete with Yukiko's. They all came at different timing and their style conflicts with each other. It was Margaret, who told him everything and that it's 2015 now, not 2013. He then asked the nurses for newspapers and magazines. When Theo conveniently visited, he asked him for the CD and put the song on repeat the whole day. He heard what Souji wanted to say to him from the lyrics. He knows but he must asks. He wants to hear it from Souji, from his mouth directly as he stands right before him now.

'Am I a burden?'

Souji clenches his fists and bite down onto his lips, fighting to hold back the flood. 

_He's just a guitarist and holding you back._

He knows Souji's answer even though he didn't hear it that day. It wasn't intentional but he had overheard Ai's conversation with Souji as the door was thin and the corridor was empty. He was thrown off when Ai said he's nothing but he couldn't hear Souji's reply. Yosuke knew his BF would have stood up for him but he couldn't hear it. He wanted to hear Souji's reply. He stood in the corridor, searching Souji's dead fish face for an answer but he found none that day. As the day passed, he got increasingly upset with himself that he doubted Souji and stayed up all night to write the song to take his mind off. He had intended to apologize to Souji the next day but missed the chance 2 years ago and made Souji waited for this long. It's time. 

'I'm sorry, Souji.' 

The apology broke Souji's dam as all the things he wanted to say came out in a rush.

'You're not a burden. You wasn't and never will be. Ebihara that bitch is nothing compared to you. Who cares what she thinks? Heck all that. That's not what I want to say. What I think about you is more important. I'm sorry. I should have stood up for you more. I should have told you. Don't apologize. _Don't_ apologize. I should be the one apologizing. ' 

Souji said all that in a breath and had to take a deep one when he's done. 

_If I'm going to lose it, might as well give it all._

Yosuke didn't have time to process that their extremely polite to a fault Souji had just said 'Ebihara that bitch' as Souji's face magnified by a fold. His lips muttering a soft 'Yosuke, listen well'. He felt Souji's hand snaked around his, bringing it up to those thin lips and the softness of Souji's lips on his fingers. 

'I enjoy admiring these fingers play the guitar.' 

Souji gave Yosuke's frenzy mind even less time to register that Souji just kissed his fingers as he moved on to cupping Yosuke's face with both hands, planting a gentle peck over his left eye.

'I like it when these eyes stay on me.' 

Yosuke opens his eyes to see Souji's silver orbs staring deep into hazel with his breath and lips ghosting over his own.

'And I miss these lips as they say my name and tease me by calling me his partner every day.'

Dropping the last wall, Souji closed the 1cm distance, claiming Yosuke's lip as his and pulls away as quickly. 

'So, Partner, will you be mine?' 

Like magnets pulling each other with 2 complete opposite personalities, Yosuke leans in with his reply, 'take a guess. It's all in my songs,' sealing his approval as he reaches up for another kiss.

 

 

Omake: 

'Actually, you were already mine when I seen all of you the past year as I wiped your body clean with a cloth.' 

Yosuke would have screamed if it's not because Margaret had told him to take it easy while recovering. He burrowed deep into the blanket in embarrassment and felt Souji poked his flushed cheek through the blanket, commenting he's as red as the tomatoes he harvested with Nanako.

'Tomato face' was the nickname that Souji gave as he climbed onto the small bed and locking Yosuke in his longer limbs while murmuring, 'I bet you taste firm and juicy.'

Yosuke stayed up all night blushing as he deciphers Souji's words till he's dizzy whereas Souji finally allowed himself a relaxed sleep for the first time in a long time with Yosuke safely in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Take a guess for the lyrics that Yosuke wrote. 
> 
> Margaret's temper is based on her losing her cool when Theo accidentally dropped a water balloon on her in Persona Q. I love the Blue Velvet siblings. I hope no one is angry at Margaret for breaking the news. She's a doctor. It's her duties to tell patients and families/friends what they need to know, not what they want to know.
> 
> Yukiko knowing the flower language on first glance is me keeping her background setting as a heir to one of the oldest and prestigious Inn in Inaba. Such a prestigious inn usually has tight upbringing and training in Kadou (flower arrangement). It's possible that she knows the flower language.
> 
> I don't own the Persona series.


End file.
